DODGE RAM FORUM banner
3K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  adeluca73 
#1 ·
PW owners:

Question, Since the PW doesn't come with and side rails or nerf bars, is your PW so high off the ground, it is hard to climb in and out of? If so, how have you addressed this?

I was comtemplating installing a set of the black powder coated GO RHINO D2 Dominator nerf bars. Is this a bad idea? Does anyone have experience with them? Will they substanitially ruin the clearance/cause a weakness? Any help/experience/insights would be helpful before dropping $350+ on a potential mistake. Thank-you!
 
#2 ·
N-Fab

The other company I found that makes PW compatiable side steps is N-Fab. Their crew cab, short bed, access steps seem to be a very well made, and claen looking step:

http://www.n-fab.com/products/sfID1/67/sfID2/83/sfID3/85/productID/322


Anyone have these or can comment on them vs the Go Rhino D3 bars? It looks to me like the N-Fab might be a better product, but it's hard to tell from pictures alone. Both are about the same price point too.

Any ideas/thoughts is much appreciated.
 
#3 ·
The questions is how often do you plan on taking your PW off road and what kind of off roading will you be doing?
The best suggestion (which I don't think they will be available yet) are rock sliders.
Aluminess http://www.aluminess.com/dodge/dodge-power-wagon-trucks-2010-2013/sliders/
or
white knuckle http://white-knuckleoffroad.com/powerwagon.htm
These are on my list. You can get them with steps to help ya get up in the truck.
My 2 cents. I know others who have had the different steps, but these by far are the best.
The aluminess mount to the rocker panel though, where the white knuckle mount to the frame for stronger support.
 
#6 ·
Thanks guys. I looked at both the aluminess & white knuckle & really like both. I read through both if their websites & they don't mention the mounting explicitly. Do either require drilling into the frame? If so, I hate doing that.

Are the N-Fab a bad idea? Are they just steps like the stock RAM side step w/o providing any protection, or are they somewhere between? My intended use is mostly in the woods hunting & in Alaska trekking.
 
#7 ·
Well I hadn't seen the White Knuckle option and those look interesting. I was all over the sliders from Rock Slide Engineering until I found out that the sliders for the Power Wagon don't come with the power step :-(

If the AMP power steps were strong enough as sliders I would be interested in those.

We'll see what happens - I know the first time I drop on a rock without them I will be pretty upset with myself :)
 
#8 ·
I talked with white-knuckle, N-Fab, Aluminess today. N-Fab is the only one currently making a 2014 PW compatible set. N-Fab mounts to the body, & they said they are thicker than all other Nerf bars, but are steps first & not designed for protection, but said they would take abuse. White knuckle said they don't have a 2014 design yet, & no estimate when they will---busy with current production orders. Theirs mount around the frame as a bolt sandwich. Aluminess also doesn't have a 2014 option. They said theirs are sliders, not just steps, but are limited to the body mount strength since they mount to the body step mounting holes.

So I guess it's N-Fab Nerfs or wait till 2014 mods are released.
 
#9 ·
Yea, I think as far as steps go, n-fab are probably the best for some mild protection. If you wanted to go nuts, white knuckle is def. the way to go, but with not having a time stamp for them, I understand your need. I don't have the cash right now for white knuckle, but it was a long time coming for the 4th gen sliders. Anyway, good luck in whatever you do!
 
#10 ·
Aluminess

Update for 2014 PW.

I received an email from the Aluminess engineering dept they said their sliders will fit the 2014 PW. Although they mount to the body & not the frame, they said they will support the vehicle weight if jacked up on center. They are made from Schedule-40 steel pipe, OD = 2.5", ID=2.3", thickness=13/64", which makes them beefier than the white knuckle @ .174".

A company called B.I.T also makes custom bumpers & sliders in-house that look high quality, which I'm considering as well.
http://www.extremewinchbumpers.com/Rockslidersandstepbarspage.html
 
#13 ·
The Aluminess sliders work FANTASTICALLY as steps!!! I have them off my truck right now and really miss the ease with which I was able to get in and out with them on! They are CRAZY beefy, I have pivoted my truck off rocks and trees on the sliders many a time, and drug them over rocks more than I can count and the sliders themselves have stood up to the abuse quite well!!!

BUT, the area they mount to on the truck itself does not hold up as well, my truck has holes tore in the backsides of the rockers where the Aluminess sliders mounted. That's why I took them off. BUT, they sure did protect the rockers from worse damage, some of the hits they took- I doubt I'd be able to open my doors if I didn't have the sliders!!! plus, I would likely have a LOT more damage to the sides of my truck, they kept my doors off trees a couple times! They took a LOT of hits before the rockers started to get damaged at the mounting points. (I drag the heck outta my sliders!)

If you want steps that can double as sliders every once in a while, go Aluminess by all means!

If you want steps that can be used as sliders on a consistent basis, dragging the weight of the truck on them quite often, go with something frame mounted!

I am not hugely enamored with the way the White Knuckle sliders mount but, it looks like a set of them will be in my future! (since they are the only company that makes frame mounted sliders for our trucks) I am afraid to wheel my truck without sliders after how much I used my Aluminess ones!
 
#14 ·
Thanks. I concur with all. I think White-knuckle are the better product. The prices are close. White-knuckle uses 0.174" or 0.180" (up charge) cold rolled steel or HREW ( up charge), while Aluminess uses standard 0.2" schedule-40 steel pipe. The Aluminess are thicker, but are just an off the shelf product they cut & weld, while White-knuckle actually tempers & works their steel to get a stronger (KSI) steel. But they don't have anything for a '14 pw so ill wait for a bit to see if they make '14 sliders, if not after a yr, I'll go with Aluminess.
 
#17 ·
I installed the N-Fab 6-step on mine last week, I love the look, and they're real strong and beefy, but like you said, they're a step and won't work very well as a slider since they attach to the side of the floor pan. Pretty sure that will give out way before the bars will. As far as clearance goes, the bottom of the step is about and inch or so higher than the bottom of the front diff (didn't measure, just did a quick "eyeball" after install). I prefer mud and trails over rocks anyway, so I'm not worried about.



 
#18 ·
Very very nice. I do like them a lot. They were my 1st choice, and the more I read on the other PW only forum, the more I was convinced I'd end up ripping them off and wasting $400+. But they are more than half what the true sliders with steps cost, so I'm weighing how much serious rock bashing/climbing I'll do with this truck and the cost of replacing the steps and fixing and body damage incurred from not having sliders IF something happens vs. the up front cost of just going sliders from the beginning. Still pondering---truck won't be here till mid-Jul/early-Aug.:smiledown:

I see you have the 1" level!! Nice, did you DIY or did you have someone do install it. Mind if I ask how much it was parts/labor/time to have the 1" installed--I don't tow a lot (1x/mo) and not any where near the max weight, so I'm not concerned with bottoming out the suspension by losing the front rake.
 
#19 ·
This is the level I ordered: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KPSJ6U/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I installed it myself, pretty simple overall. Passenger side gave a little headache because the axle wouldn't drop enough to get the coil out, so I had to go buy a spring compressor. I think that was around $30. If I had that to begin with, it prolly would have taken 1.5hrs. I think the instructions say 45mins, but I like to take my time.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top